Portable pet portal with three-position flap assembly

Abstract

A pet portal flap assembly has interior and exterior frames between which moveable flaps are mounted in a swinging door, or in a patio door insert, or in an exterior wall, to permit both ingress and egress of a pet. A handle operated mechanism is provided for selectively vertically positioning the moveable flaps in an uppermost position to permit both ingress and egress of a pet, in a mid-position for only permitting ingress of a pet, and in a lowermost position in which bottom portions of the flaps are locked between the interior and exterior frames to prevent any movement of the flaps.

1. A three-position pet portal for installation in either a cutout portion in a lower section of a door, wall, or a lowermost section of an insert for a sliding patio door, said pet portal comprising:
 an interior frame for securement to circumferential side portions of said cutout portion on an interior side thereof; 
 an exterior frame for securement to circumferential portions of said cutout portion on an exterior side thereof; 
 a flap assembly mounted within said cutout portion between said interior and exterior frames, including:
 a flap; and 
 bezel locking tab on the flap and at least two interior locking tabs on a back portion of said interior frame, the bezel locking tab selectively engaging the interior locking tabs for selectively positioning said flap assembly in either one of three vertical positions relative to said cutout portion, namely, an uppermost position for permitting said flap to move pivotally inward or outward from openings in said interior and exterior frames to allow a pet ingress or egress relative to said portal, a middle position for only allowing said flap to move pivotally inward to allow a pet ingress through said portal, and a lowermost position to lock said flap vertically in place preventing a pet any ingress or egress through said portal. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The pet portal of  claim 1 , wherein said positioning means further includes:
 means for insuring said flap always returns to a rest position between said interior and exterior frames after pivotal movement. 
 
     
     
       3. The pet portal of  claim 2 , wherein said positioning means further includes:
 a bezeled locking hinge including a plurality of lateral hinge posts in an upper portion thereof, and an open frame in a lower portion formed by opposing sides joined at bottom ends by a bottom cross member; 
 said flap including an interior flap section, and an exterior flap section, respectively, each having a closed front, and a closed back; 
 said interior flap section including a plurality of uppermost lateral mounting hinges for mounting upon interior half-portions of said plurality of lateral hinge posts of said bezeled locking hinge, and further including first and second hinge pockets proximate extreme right and left top ends, respectively, in horizontal alignment with said mounting hinges; 
 a flap ring formed from a unitary U-shaped member having a bottommost cross member, and two spaced apart vertical arms each having free ends with inwardly protruding hinge posts for partial insertion into said first and second hinge pockets, respectively, of said interior flap section; 
 said exterior flap section including a plurality of uppermost lateral mounting hinges for mounting upon remaining interior half portions of said plurality of lateral hinge posts of said bezeled locking hinge, in opposition to said interior flap section, and first and second hinge pockets proximate extreme right and left top ends, respectively, in horizontal alignment with said mounting hinges, for receiving remaining portions of said hinge posts of said two vertical arms of said flap ring, respectively; 
 means for securing said interior and exterior flap sections together, said interior flap section being longer and wider than said exterior flap section, whereby a bottom and side portions of said interior flap section extend beyond bottom and side portions of said exterior flap section, forming an inwardly directed step from the side and bottom portions of said exterior flap to said interior flap; 
 said flap ring further including an inwardly directed first step across an inner portion of its cross member and inner portions of its opposing said vertical arms, for receiving opposing portions of the inwardly directed step between said interior and exterior flap sections, both when at rest, and when said flap assembly has the flap sections moved pivotally outward, whereby said flap ring pivotally moves outward with said flap sections during egress of a pet through said pet portal, whereas when said flap pivotally moves inward during ingress of a pet through said pet port, said flap ring remains vertically at rest; 
 said flap ring further including an inwardly directed second step across a lower portion of its cross member; and 
 said bezeled locking hinge further including a recessed pocket across an upper portion of its cross member for receiving the lower inwardly directed second step of said flap ring at rest. 
 
     
     
       4. The pet portal of  claim 1 , wherein said positioning means further includes:
 a bezeled locking hinge including a plurality of lateral hinge posts in an upper portion thereof, and an open frame in a lower portion formed by opposing sides joined at bottom ends by a bottom cross member; 
 said flap including an interior flap section, and an exterior flap section, respectively, each having a closed front, and a closed back; 
 said interior flap section including a plurality of uppermost lateral mounting hinges for mounting upon interior half-portions of said plurality of lateral hinge posts of said bezeled locking hinge, and further including first and second hinge pockets proximate extreme right and left top ends, respectively, in horizontal alignment with said mounting hinges; 
 a flap ring formed from a unitary U-shaped member having a bottommost cross member, and two spaced apart vertical arms each having free ends with inwardly protruding hinge posts for partial insertion into said first and second hinge pockets, respectively, of said interior flap section; 
 said exterior flap section including a plurality of uppermost lateral mounting hinges for mounting upon remaining interior half portions of said plurality of lateral hinge posts of said bezeled locking hinge, in opposition to said interior flap section, and first and second hinge pockets proximate extreme right and left top ends, respectively, in horizontal alignment with said mounting hinges, for receiving remaining portions of said hinge posts of said two vertical arms of said flap ring, respectively; 
 means for securing said interior and exterior flap sections together, said interior flap section being longer and wider than said exterior flap section, whereby a bottom and side portions of said interior flap section extend beyond bottom and side portions of said exterior flap section, forming an inwardly directed step from the side and bottom portions of said exterior flap to said interior flap; 
 said flap ring further including an inwardly directed first step across an inner portion of its cross member and inner portions of its opposing said vertical arms, for receiving opposing portions of the inwardly directed step between said interior and exterior flap sections, both when at rest, and when said flap assembly has the flap sections moved pivotally outward, whereby said flap ring pivotally moves outward with said flap during egress of a pet through said pet portal, whereas when said flap pivotally moves inward during ingress of a pet through said pet port, said flap ring remains vertically at rest; 
 said flap ring further including an inwardly directed second step across a lower portion of its cross member; and 
 said bezeled locking hinge further including a recessed pocket across an upper portion of its cross member for receiving the lower inwardly directed second step of said flap ring at rest. 
 
     
     
       5. The pet portal of  claim 3 , wherein said rest position return means includes:
 a first ferromagnetic material secured within a pocket located in a center portion proximate the bottom of a back face of said interior flap section opposing said first step of said flap ring; 
 a second ferromagnetic material secured within a center portion of said first and second steps of said flap ring, for interacting attractively with said first ferromagnetic material; and 
 a third ferromagnetic material secured within said recessed pocket of said locking hinge in opposition to a portion of said second ferromagnetic material in the second step of said flap ring, for interacting attractively therewith. 
 
     
     
       6. The pet portal of  claim 5 , wherein said first and third ferromagnetic materials are each permanent magnets. 
     
     
       7. The pet portal of  claim 1 , wherein said interior frame, and said exterior frame, each consist of a single piece of plastic material. 
     
     
       8. The pet portal of  claim 7 , wherein the plastic material is polycarbonate. 
     
     
       9. The pet portal of  claim 3 , wherein said interior frame, exterior frame, bezeled locking hinge, interior flap, exterior flap, and flap ring each consist of a single piece of plastic material. 
     
     
       10. The pet portal of  claim 9 , wherein said plastic material is polycarbonate. 
     
     
       11. The pet portal of  claim 3 , wherein said positioning means further includes:
 a bezel handle protruding away from an uppermost central portion of an interior face of said bezeled locking hinge through a vertically elongated hole in said interior frame, said bezel handle being resiliently biased; 
 said bezel locking tab cojoined to and formed below said bezel handle; 
 a first pair of spaced apart locking tabs comprising one of said two interior locking tabs centrally and transversely located on a back portion of said interior frame opposing the interior face of said locking hinge; 
 a second pair of spaced apart locking tabs comprising the other of said two interior locking tabs centrally and transversely located vertically below and spaced from said first pair of spaced apart locking tabs; 
 said positioning means being operable by pushing in said bezel handle to move said bezel hinge and associated flap assembly at rest vertically upward or downward to either one of said three vertical positions, whereby when said bezel handle is released in the uppermost position, said bezel locking tab will be retained on upper portions of said first pair of locking tabs, or when said bezel handle is released in said middle position, said bezel locking tab will be retained on upper portion of said second pair of locking tabs, or when said bezel handle is released in said lowermost position, said bezel locking tab is retained on bottom portions of said second pair of locking tabs. 
 
     
     
       12. The pet portal of  claim 11 , further including:
 a channel being formed between opposing lowermost portions of said interior and exterior frames; 
 whereby when said positioning means is in the uppermost postion, the interior flap section and the exterior flap section, said flap ring, and the inwardly directed step of said bezeled locking hinge are above and free of said channel; 
 whereby when said positioning means is in the middle position, the inwardly directed second step portion of said flap ring, and inwardly directed step of said bezeled locking hinge are within said channel; 
 whereby when said positioning means is in the lowermost position, the bottom portions of said exterior flap section and said interior flap section, the cross member of said flap ring, and the bottom cross member of said bezeled locking hinge are all within said channel. 
 
     
     
       13. The pet portal of  claim 3 , further including:
 a plurality of strengthening ribs formed on the back of said interior flap section; and 
 a plurality of strengthening ribs formed on the back of said exterior flap section. 
 
     
     
       14. The pet portal of  claim 3 , wherein said means for securing said interior flap section and said exterior flap section together, includes:
 a plurality of spaced apart circular alignment studs on the back of said interior flap section; and 
 a plurality of spaced apart blind alignment holes on the back of said exterior flap section, for receiving said plurality of alignment studs of said interior flap section, respectively, to insure when said interior flap section and said exterior flap section are bonded together via their back portions, a uniform inwardly directed step from bottom and side portions of said exterior flap section to said interior flap section is maintained. 
 
     
     
       15. The pet portal of  claim 11 , further including:
 said bezel locking hinge, including said bezel handle, bezel locking tab, and plurality of lateral hinge posts, all being formed from a single piece of plastic material; and 
 a living hinge being formed above said bezel handle, for permitting said bezel handle and its associated bezel locking tab to be moved inward in response to an inward force applied to said bezel handle, whereby said living hinge returns said bezel handle and bezel locking tab to a rest position upon the release of said inward force. 
 
     
     
       16. The pet portal of  claim 15 , wherein said plastic material is polycarbonate.